


Stuck With You

by blue_whalen



Category: Naruto
Genre: I have made up this past lol, KakuHida Week 2020, Kakuhida - Freeform, M/M, Mutual Pining, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Recovery from trauma, both of them have a long and complicated past, i have made up a lot in this story because the writers didn’t give me enough to work with
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:28:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27334933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blue_whalen/pseuds/blue_whalen
Summary: “Isn’t the idea supposed to be ‘you saved my life, now I owe you a debt’?”“Nope! Other way around. You saved my life, now I’m your problem. If you don’t like it, kill me! God wanted me dead, now you get to find out why.”
Relationships: Hidan/Kakuzu (Naruto)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 52
Collections: KakuHida Week





	Stuck With You

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a tumblr text post that got out of hand. The more I tried to end the plot, the longer the story got. I made up Kakuzu’s past to make his history more engaging than just Bad Man. Lots of canon divergences.
> 
> Thanks to my lovely editor and beautiful girlfriend @AburameQueen3 for keeping me from screwing up my grammar or giving up on this story all together.

Working as a bounty hunter wasn’t what Kakuzu would classify as difficult, more tedious than anything else. He had to travel all around the world looking for high-priced targets and then he had to haul their corpses all the way back to a collection office. If the collection officer didn't know him personally or were feeling cheeky, they would try to underpay or claim he had damaged the face too much for it to be worth their time. Finally, he would have to waste his time and energy either threatening or killing the officer to get what was owed to him rightfully. Overall it was a massive hassle and migraine-inducing work.

Nevertheless, it was incredibly lucrative as well. Coincidentally, this was the only reason he was in the business, to begin with. He would put up with any amount of hassle if it meant earning or saving any small amount of money. Even if it meant wandering about on a cold and dreary day like this where the sky was in a constant limbo over whether it should piss on him.

At this moment, he was pursuing a shinobi who was a known human-trafficker and all-around human garbage. Kakuzu didn’t have a particular preference for people who were regarded as good or bad, money is money after all, but it was a bonus when they were shit. This particular wheezing bag of dick tips wasn’t all that hard to find, so he wasn’t shocked to find the coward surrounded by his bodyguards. Not surprising at all, cowards always gathered in groups. What was, however, quite surprising was the individual they were gathered around. More aptly, the individual they were beating the collective shit out of while the psycho laughed hysterically.

‘What a weirdo... yeah...’ Kakuzu thought, ‘This is a perfect distraction, though.’ And with that, he moved in. 

While the various shinobi were busy dismembering the poor sod caught in the middle, Kakuzu began to kill off the shinobi at the edges. Some people would call killing a man when his back was turned a dishonorable act, but so was ganging up on a man 30 to 1, so they weren't much better. Plus, after all the awful things Kakuzu had done, he ceased to care about something as trivial as his honor.

When the man in the center of the fight was dead or damn near it, the men noticed Kakuzu and the fight truly began. They threw weapons and jutsu around the battlefield like children in the first stages of the ninja academy. Or drunk raccoons. They paid no mind to strategy or teamwork, some even catching their fellow man in their attacks. It was truly abysmal to watch and had Kakuzu wondering what was wrong with this generation.

Needless to say, this fight, if he could even call it that, was over as fast as it had begun. Between his skills and their inability to work together, they stood no chance in hell of defeating him. He hadn't even needed to use his masks. A disappointing match overall. As he collected his earnings, wallets, watches, and other valuables, he eventually found the man that was his target. The leader of this miserable gang. He only needed the head, so he cut that off as cleanly as possible.

While jamming the head into a burlap sack he’d found in the woods along the way, he glanced over at the corpse of the strange man he had watched get mauled by these men. ‘Pity.’ He thought idly, ‘Not a bad face, for a psychopath.’

However, as he stared at the body, it suddenly gasped back to consciousness. “Holy FUCK that hurt!” He shouted. The man sat up and looked around a bit with a puzzled look at the desecrated bodies making a mandala of gore around him. “The fuck...?” He focused on Kakuzu, “Ey, old man. You kill these fuckers?” When he received a slow nod from Kakuzu, he pounded his fist against the ground. “Damn it! I was going to use these heathens for my ritual! Damn it! What gives!?” He shouted so loud that Kakuzu thought he was going to shake the leaves free from the trees.

“You lost the fight. You were unconscious on the ground.” Kakuzu pointed out, “And I had to collect my target. You’re welcome.” Without waiting for a response, Kakuzu picked up his bag and began his retreat. He had no reason to continue talking to this freak longer than he already had. Time was money, and he refused to waste money. But he didn’t make it far before he heard shouting after him. He ignored it for as long as possible, but when the walking noise violation caught up to him he had no choice but to address him. “What?”

“Slow down, ya fucker! I said, ’you saved my life, now I'm your problem!’ Open your ears, old man. Or get a hearing aid, at least... Damn.” The strange man said, still louder than required at a conversational distance. Despite how he bristled at the repeated insults, Kakuzu pressed on coolly.

“Isn’t the phrase supposed to be ‘you saved my life, now I owe you my life?’ Until you have the chance to repay me?” He asked curiously with a quirked brow. Since he covered most of his face, Kakuzu had learned to be more expressive with his brows, mostly to tell people they were being idiots. He didn't want someone to hang around and wait to save his life, since he was nearly immortal, but he couldn't help the curiosity caused by this situation.

The man actually had the audacity to laugh right in his face. “Hell no! That's a funny thought, though. You saved my life, now I'm your problem! It's a commandment of my God. But good fucking luck with this one, old man, I'm shit at staying alive.”

“And... What's to stop me from just killing you to get away from you?” Kakuzu asked, surprisingly calm for the grating tone and words this man used. He had to admit, he was intrigued to hear what else this freak would say. It was like watching a trainwreck in slow motion. At the moment, the man just laughed at him some more, which was getting old quickly.

“I mean, you could, but it's not gonna do ya much good. I'll just crawl back to you and stab ya while you sleep! God wanted my ass dead, now you get to find out why. Oh, where are my manners? I'm Hidan, a vassal of the almighty Jashin!” He winked unnervingly at him. It looked more like a small seizure. He wasn't very good at that. 

Kakuzu gave a slow nod as he processed the information he had just received. He had heard of the cult of Jashin somewhere... But it escaped any meaning at the moment. He couldn't think of a method of ditching this weird man, without expending much of his energy. After a moment longer of thinking, he decided on the best course. Without warning, he snapped the man’s neck and trotted away.

What a weirdo, indeed.

_____________________________________

During Kakuzu’s walk back, the treacherous rain finally dared to start, and not only a small sprinkle, no, this was a torrential downpour. As much as he loathed the idea, he wasn't getting far in this weather, so he stopped into a little inn and pub that he had noted on the way here for the night. It was quite shabby and held nothing for those with finer tastes. 

The place smelled like the moldy taint of a goat and it was filled with criminals and prostitutes. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust and the floor creaked like one in a cheesy horror movie. He had come to expect this aesthetic from places like this, so he wasn't shocked at all. These places were always deplorable shitholes. But it was perfect for a cheap man like Kakuzu.

He eyed the other patrons, daring any of them to make a move to rob or fight him. This area was known for its poverty but these bandits knew better than to attack such an intimidating shinobi. Kakuzu had quite the reputation built up and didn't need to use his name to get some sense of recognition. The whores also left him be, knowing his reputation as a cheap man.

Good. He didn't want to be bothered.

He looked over the stained menu to at least pretend to think about eating something. Eventually, he settled on ordering a bottle of whatever was cheapest and settled down at a table to get sloshed. The alcohol stung and tasted awful, but he had grown used to such. For the life of him, he couldn't identify the liquid he was knocking back at an alarming rate. By the fifth glass, he decided that he didn't care.

Kakuzu continued to drink himself delirious through several bottles of the poison. If he had to replace his liver, he would. It was surprisingly easy to get organs around here. People didn't have much sense when it came to their safety. He became so drunk that he barely noticed the individual who came up and sat with him. He felt a hand on his arm and decided it was probably one of those prostitutes getting brave on a slow night.

“I'm not paying you... Fuck off.” He slurred and waved towards the whore to try to chase her off. He didn't care to pay for a shag. He was too old and grumpy for that sort of company to matter much anymore. But she just ducked his swipe and grabbed his arm tighter. Surprising strength for a whore in this area, they were usually quite malnourished.

“I ain't gonna fuck you, old man. You're too wasted to find your bed. C’mon.” An oddly familiar and grating voice came, awfully close to his left ear. He then felt himself being lifted from his seat against his will, but he didn't care enough to stop this. He just let his body go a bit limp and mused over how well this whore was managing to carry him. “Oh Jashin... You reek of cheap-ass booze. You know, gluttony is a sin in the eyes of Jashin.” The voice came again.

Hidan kept talking, but Kakuzu was too out of focus to hear him. This must’ve looked rather funny to the patrons they passed along the way. Kakuzu was so much larger and heavier than Hidan that his unsupported arm nearly dragged on the ground. Not only that, he still had the sack with the head of his target in it, dripping fluids all over the already filthy floor.

Hidan eventually managed to drag Kakuzu’s semi-conscious corpse up the stairs to the rooms. He had to pat him down to find the key, earning him some grunts and a slurred ”No pay!” from the disgruntled man. He found the key and unlocked the room. 

“For fuck’s sake! I ain't a fucking whore, you ass! I'm just trying to haul your heavy ass to your room.” Hidan barked in irritation. He dropped Kakuzu onto the shitty twin bed unceremoniously before finally looking around the room. “Damn... Do you think you could've found a shittier place for us to stay? I've stayed in dumpsters nicer than this place.”

Hidan turned around to look at his new partner, only to find him fast asleep and ignoring him. He frowned. “Of course... Now I gotta take care of ya. Bastard.” He complained to himself but got to work getting Kakuzu’s shoes, belt, and other less comfy items off. It was quite the struggle with the wiggly shinobi, but he felt quite triumphant when he was done and Kakuzu was turned on his side.

Hidan paused to observe the stitched up scars that mapped across the sleeping shinobi’s body. It was rare that Hidan found someone with such extensive scars. He couldn't help but admire them and wonder just what this man had done with his life to earn so many. His healing ability meant that he didn't get to keep many of his scars. He was honestly a bit jealous. He reached out to touch one of the scars but pulled his hand back with a small hiss when he got smacked away by a metal wire. 

Fine, keep your scars to yourself, you old bastard.

Instead, Hidan busied himself with pacing around the room, looking for a nice enough area for a ritual. He may be in an unknown place, but that wasn't going to stop him from praising Jashin.

Hidan cleared the furniture from a nice wide space and used a bit of his water style to wash the bare wood floor off a bit. He would be damned if he was going to offer Jashin a filthy ritual. When the ground was in a satisfactory state, he sat down in the center of his space.

He slowly and carefully cut along one of his forearms, careful to dodge anything vital and avoid bleeding out too soon. He slowly chanted his praises as he painted his skin and the floor around him with the blood. Delicate sigils decorated the scene and tied him to his deity. He could feel Jashin’s light filling his body. Hidan’s skin slowly shifted to black and white, making the blood stand out starkly against his skin. Feeling the ecstasy bubbling up he let out quite the elated laugh. 

“I feel you... Jashin... Cleanse me, and forgive this filthy sinner. I'll show him our ways.” Hidan mumbled into the darkness before plunging his sacrificial pike into his heart, killing him instantly and splattering the walls in blood.

Hidan’s prayer rang out in the silence of the night.  
_____________________________________

Morning crept up far too quickly for Kakuzu’s preference, as it usually did after he’d been drinking. As the light clawed its way into his eyes like an angry badger, he felt the aching in his skull grow worse. It was almost as if his brain was repeatedly propelling itself against his skull like one of those cheap office toys that looked like a bird drinking water. He groaned and as he rolled to avoid it, or at least cause a new spot to take damage, one word popped into his head. Eggs.

He tried to recall the previous night, to little avail. He must have been to a pub. He rarely felt this level of kinship with a steaming turd on a morning after he hadn’t been drinking. He remembered a successful job... and the inn he was currently in, even though this room looked slightly bloodier than the room he had purchased last night. He also remembered that there may have been a hooker involved? No. Too expensive. Not worth his trouble anyway, he wasn’t some desperate hormone-filled teenager. He shook his head and then regretted that immediately as the sides of his skull played a friendly game of ping-pong with his squishy bits. But it did force a word loose into his aching head. Eggs...

Kakuzu sat up shakily, attempting not to vomit. He was a heavy drinker and refused to vomit the poison back up. That was a newbie move. His bones ached and he somehow managed to feel both clammy and hot at the same moment. The room wiggled and wobbled slightly and he wondered if he should just stay in bed. But if he stayed past noon he would have to pay for another night... no, he had to get up. This was just going to be an eggs kind of day. 

Eggs? An eggs day? What did that even mean? Whatever. It didn’t matter.

He grabbed his gear and was halfway through putting them on when the word eggs wandered through his mind again for a moment in search of something to connect with. “Eggs.” He mumbled aloud and stood to make his way to the kitchen. If he was lucky, this shithole would have some form of free caffeine in it. That was when the word finally connected.

He thought about eggs because he smelled eggs and he smelled eggs because there was a man, in his room, cooking eggs. Why? He hadn’t ordered eggs from the inn. Even if he had, they certainly wouldn’t break into his room and make them for him in here. Not unless they wanted to die, of course. As he contemplated his strange predicament, the man cooking the eggs glanced back at him.

“Oh! Hey! You’re finally awake! Geez, I thought you were dead there for a bit. You old people always worry me when you sleep! I get to play a game of Schrodinger‘s cat. Dead? Alive? Who knows!” Said the man from the forest. Hidan? Yeah. That was it. His voice amazingly managed to be more grating today than it had the night before.

“Do you actually know what that thought experiment was about?” Kakuzu asked, his voice rasping from dehydration. He moved to get water as he eyed the man.

“Of course I do! At any time, in any box, there could be a dead cat! That's why I hate shoe stores. See? I’m not as dumb as I look!” He pointed the spatula at Kakuzu proudly. He seemed quite pleased with his high level of knowledge and understanding. All Kakuzu could do was stare at him in a blind daze, completely captured by his dazzling intellect. “Well, anyway, I’m making breakfast, so sit your ass down.” 

Kakuzu sat at one of the shitty stools by the   
table. The stool creaked miserably underneath his weight. The metal in his body made him quite heavy, but the stool was also very badly made. Everything in this room was subpar, at best. But he’d come to expect that from this area of the world.

The room was plain and simple, it had the most basic furnishings and smelled heavily of mold and blood. The blood was unusual for him, though. As he looked for the source, he found a meticulously drawn and crudely wiped away sigil drawn in blood on the floor. That was new.

With the mystery of The Blood Circle not becoming any more obvious with prolonged staring, he redirected his gaze to the man in front of him. He wasn’t particularly tall, only 5’8” or so, well-muscled but not bulky, and he had rather lovely purple eyes and silver hair that he appeared to be working rather hard to keep in place. Kakuzu could feel the devilish need to ruffle it rising in his chest, but luckily the man was too far to fulfill this desire.

When Kakuzu’s eyes fell to the necklace he wore, the blood ritual made sense. He said he was in the cult of Jashin. That made a lot of sense with his strange love for blood and injuries. As he was staring at the necklace and contemplating, Hidan noticed him.

“Ey, stop staring at my tits and drink your coffee. I’m more of a tea guy, but I think I figured out how to make it.” Hidan slid him a cup of pale, brown, sickly-looking liquid. Kakuzu stared into the cup apprehensively, wondering if this man actually had the brains enough to poison him. He eventually decided it didn’t really matter and took a sip. The liquid could only be described as almost, but not quite, entirely unlike coffee. Kakuzu found himself too afraid to ask what needed to be done to coffee beans to make this abomination, so he chose to forgo the question entirely.

“I need to leave soon. I have to deliver that head and meet up with an associate.” When he received a sharp look, Kakuzu continued, “After breakfast, of course.” He was old enough to know how to pick his fights wisely. You can't argue with crazy.

“Right! Sounds great. Who are we meeting?”

“Well, I am meeting an old friend and colleague. You are going to go back to whatever you were supposed to be doing before we met.” Kakuzu said sternly.

“Hey! No! You don't get to ditch me after I spend the night taking care of your drunk ass! Do you know that you sleepwalk? Because I do! It's terrifying! You just stand there, staring at things like a ghoul!” Hidan snapped.

“Well, I didn't ask you to take care of me, nor will I be thankful for it. I've handled myself up to this point, I don't need your help.” He said, voice growing cold. He hated it when people would underestimate his ability to take care of himself or think he needed their help. People always wanted something from him in trade.

“Hey! Listen here you old fuck, we are stuck together! I didn't ask you to save me either, but you did! And Jashin said this was what needed to happen after that! So deal with it! Don't you need a partner? Someone to watch your back and keep you company?” Hidan brought over two plates and slammed them down on the table before continuing to speak. “If nothing else, I can cook you a decent meal for a change. I will follow you to the ends of the earth. With only mild complaining.”

Kakuzu studied the man sitting opposite him. He considered his options carefully. He clearly couldn't kill this freak, not with the knowledge he had at this time. He could probably outrun him and hide out until things settled down, but that would mean taking a break from his work and a loss in income. That was not an option. Lastly, he could accept this and use this man to his advantage. If he wasn't good for anything else, he would at least be a perfect pawn to throw into a battle as a distraction.

It was settled. But rather than give Hidan any vocal approval, he merely nodded and began to eat his meal, which was rather good. Eating was a rather comical task since he refused to remove his mask in front of this stranger. Instead, he lifted forkfuls up and under the mask, accepting the bits that fell and dirtied his mask.

Hidan observed him with a raised brow and a look of general confusion. “Damn. You must be one ugly fuck...” He grumbled.

Kakuzu considered trying to kill him again but decided to simply continue his breakfast instead. He had no idea why his last attempt had failed. Maybe he missed the kill point? Could it have been a jutsu? Maybe this moron was just incredibly lucky. He had no idea, but as Hidan yammered on and on, he got the feeling this headache wasn't going anywhere for a while.

_____________________________________

The unlikely duo walked for a while without breaks. Since Hidan was a nuisance tag along anyway, Kakuzu had him carrying all of his things, including the sack with his target’s head. If he got mad and quit chasing him, that was fine. But until he did, Kakuzu might as well get some use out of the constantly complaining idiot. 

These complaints were by no means mild and his loud, grating voice only made them worse. His feet hurt, the bags were heavy, it was getting dark and finally, the newest and loudest complain chimed in at the point when his patience was at an all-time low.

“JASHIN FUCKING DAMN IT! Kakuzu! Your fucking head sack is leaking all the fuck over me! It's fucking disgusting! Why didn't you put it in a Jashin damned plastic bag so I don’t get blood piss!?” Hidan howled like an animal in pain.

Kakuzu glanced back to see that Hidan was, in fact, coated in a sheen of head juices down his side. Nasty. But not nasty enough to warrant such yelling. He was clearly being overly dramatic about all this and Kakuzu wasn't having it. 

“We are five minutes from the collection office. If you can't handle this, you can just leave. Otherwise, hold the bag away from your body and shut up.” He ordered and kept walking. After he went a few paces, he added an afterthought. “If you really want an explanation, I found the bag in the woods. It was free and perfect for my purposes. In addition, I like the moist sound it makes when you shlap it down on the office’s desk and how desperate they become to get it stored away. It's pretty funny and they pay you more money much faster so they can get it off the counter.”

Hidan seemed impressively pacified by that and kept walking, holding the bag away from himself. “This better be as funny as you say, Kakuzu, otherwise this isn't worth it.” He mumbled.

When they reached their destination, Kakuzu finally came to a stop. They stood in front of a shabby, dilapidated building that served as the shady collection office. The building was completely unmarked and Hidan had no idea how Kakuzu knew which building was the correct one, but he knew they were in the right place the moment the door opened.

Before they even stepped in, the putrid smell of decomposition and formaldehyde hit them. The chemical and corpse smells danced together in a grotesque tango rather than canceling each other out. When they actually stepped in, Hidan was hit with another smell that somehow made everything so much worse. The employees had put gratuitous amounts of herb bundles around the lobby area. They were primarily lavender, a classic for corpse stench, but they also mixed rosemary and sage about.

Despite his gagging, Hidan dared to look about the small entrance room. It had a few, clearly unused, chairs and tables covered in magazines about murder. At least they stayed on theme for their demographic. There was also a water cooler, entirely unused as well, and tacky paintings hung on faded floral wallpapered walls. Hidan would never sit in this shithole but he did, however, take advantage of their hand sanitizer dispenser when Kakuzu took the head sack from him. He also enthusiastically hit the little bell when Kakuzu gestured at it. This all seemed so domestic for their location.

Within moments of the bell ring, a tall, slender man scuttled up from the back. He was middle-aged but already had a head full of grey hair that he pulled back into a ponytail so tight that it looked like it was giving him a facelift. He took off the mask he was wearing to reveal an uncomfortably wide smile. “Hello and welcome back, Kakuzu. I heard you were hunting in the area, but didn't know if you would grace us with your company. I'm overjoyed to see that you have.” The man spoke in a friendly and charismatic way, but none of his words sounded genuine at all. He was a slick liar, just like everybody else who worked in this industry.

“Cut the crap. I'm here to make a drop.” Kakuzu growled, his voice sounding far lower and rougher than Hidan was used to from him. Kakuzu hated places like this and the people he found in here. The sooner he was out of here, the better. If he needed to intimidate the staff, he would. The man seemed to get his message immediately and opened his large catalog of targets. This book was much thicker and contained far more targets than any one bingo book. Most Shinobi had no clue that there were multiple bingo books with different names in them. Some were reserved for high-level bounty hunters like him. He flipped to a page and then stopped. He folded his hands and trained his smiling gaze on Kakuzu once more.

“Ah, yes, here we are. S- class missing-nin from Yugakure, Hidan. Worth 50 million ryō. Very nice.” The man said, now eyeing Hidan with a predatory stare. Kakuzu rarely brought in living targets and this one ought to be rather... Exciting. He slowly licked his lips in anticipation. Everything in his body language made him look like he was ready to pounce from behind the desk and seize the young shinobi himself.

Hidan wasn't sure why, but he immediately hid slightly behind Kakuzu. The man’s stare felt like hot irons digging into his skin. There was something incredibly wrong with this guy if it was enough to put Hidan, a psychopathic mass murderer, on edge. “Oi! I'm not the target! Tell ’em, Kakuzu!” He barked from his hiding spot like a scared dog with his tail tucked between his legs.

Kakuzu slowly looked back at him with a cold gaze and Hidan’s stomach fell. Was this a deliberate trap? Had he been led here to be sold like cattle to this creepy fuck? Was the price just too good? He wouldn't be surprised. From what he’d learned this far, this man only seemed to care about money. Kakuzu looked back to the attendant. “No. The target is Jee Akune. He's right here.”

In a swift movement, he dropped the head sack onto the counter with a moist shlap sound. Blood and goo splattered a bit away from the bag, sending the eerie man reeling back away from the smell and splatter. After a moment he forced a far less pleasant smile onto his angular face. 

“Splendid.” He opened the soaked burlap sack reluctantly and turned it until he found and confirmed Jee’s face. He reached under the counter and prepared a briefcase with the bounty. He slid the open case over to Kakuzu who opened it and counted what her been given swiftly. You could never be too careful in places like this. When he gave a nod of approval and turned to leave, the attendant spoke again. “Have a wonderful day, Kakuzu dear. We happily await your return.” He said in a disgustingly saccharine tone.

Once outside, Hidan finally laughed. Kakuzu even allowed himself a little chuckle. “You were so right! His face was priceless!” Hidan howled, wiping tears from the corner of his eye. He wasn't sure how much of this laughter was from the actual funny moment and how much was the relief from not being betrayed by Kakuzu. He figured it didn't matter much.

After a good chuckle break, Kakuzu began his walk once more, this time through the small village. It was by no means a high-class village, but it had character and charm. There were kids playing and vendors selling their goods. Overall, the whole place felt warm in the setting sun. Hidan normally hated hanging around such quaint, peaceful, little places, but this felt nice. Especially with the company.

Hidan stopped to stare at a cart selling all sorts of vibrant flowers that grew in the area. There was a whole rainbow of stunning colors to observe. It was mesmerizing. When he heard Kakuzu’s footsteps continuing, he called out to him. “Kakuzu! Look at the flowers! They're so colorful!”

Kakuzu surprisingly paused his stroll to look down at the local flowers. He scrunched his nose. “They're pricey. You'd think it would be less expensive to buy a bag of slowly decaying plants. I could buy bound of nice-looking plants from the produce vendors at a fraction of the cost.” He remarked, voice filled with disdain.

Hidan wasn't sure what he expected from the stingy man, but that still managed to irritate him. “The price isn't the point! It's about gifting the one you love with a bouquet of beautiful flowers to tell them you love them! Nobody wants a fucking bag of cheap-ass vegetables.” He growled.

“I disagree. Gifting someone flowers is useless. You give them a bag of cut plants that slowly die, just like your love for them. You force them to watch the symbol of your love die a little more each day until their pigment is traded for the dull brown of decay. If you buy them produce, not only does it stay fresh longer, but they can actually eat it and get some use out of your bullshit last-minute gift that has no customization.”

Hidan just paused, thinking about his point. “Fine... I guess you can have your veggies. Damn... I just wanted you to look at the stupid flowers, not depress me.” He shook his head and they kept moving. He waited as long as he could, but it was slowly eating away at him like ants. “Hey... Kakuzu... Thanks for you know... Not giving me over to that creepy guy.” He mumbled softly.

Kakuzu was shocked to hear the loudmouthed shinobi so quiet, maybe that's why he took his words so seriously. He didn't think Hidan did this sort of thing often and it seemed genuine, so he decided to treat it as such. “You’re welcome.” He said simply. He didn't feel like he needed to say anything else, and judging by Hidan’s silence, he agreed.

Kakuzu had to admit that he had considered turning him over to the collection agent. That price was a mighty pretty number after all. But the longer he stared into the eyes of the man behind the counter, the more he was aware that Hidan’s fate would be worse than death. He rarely brought in living targets for this reason. The decision not to turn him over was made on the spot and harshly debated. He wouldn't lie if asked, but Hidan hadn't asked and he wasn't going to tell him unprompted.

Their walk through the town went smoothly and mostly silently, Hidan pointing out cute shops and weird people along the way, until they reached the edge of the town where it met the surrounding forest. Hidan froze, staring into the darkened forest. The sun had long since set and the amber hues faded to dark blues. No matter how he tried, his feet would not move to take a step closer to that pitch-black forest. “Hey... Kuzu... It's getting pretty late. Maybe we should just find a place here?” Hidan asked, trying to keep his voice even.

“Nonsense. It's only sunset. We’ve got hours before it's time to sleep. And here you've been calling me the old man.” Kakuzu teased slightly but soon noticed Hidan was not by his side. He finally looked behind him to find his paralyzed partner, paler than normal, staring at the forest like it was the gaping maw of the world serpent. “Hey, what's up?” 

“Uh... Nothing. I'm just tired from being your damn pack mule.” Hidan jiggled his heavy bags for emphasis. Kakuzu sighed. He should have expected he would complain again eventually. But he supposed that he had done a fair share of work.

“Fine. I'll take them for a while.” He came over and tried to take the bags but Hidan caught his hand. He stared at him with a look that froze the older Shinobi. Something was seriously wrong and while he wasn't sure why, he suddenly didn't want to push Hidan to continue. He knew that look. It was a haunted stare. This was something far more painful than sore feet. ”Okay. I saw an inn a few paces back. Should be good enough for the night. But you better get used to carrying all this.” He mock-scolded and turned back to the inn.

He couldn't help but dwell on that terrified stare Hidan had given him. He knew that look far too well. He had probably made it when he was younger. It was a look of pure, unadulterated fear. He was deathly afraid of something about that forest. Kakuzu wanted to know what, but he knew better than to push him in the state he was in, so he stayed silent for the rest of the walk, only daring to make quick glances at the twitchy shinobi.

They found the inn Kakuzu had spied a few paces back the way they came. It was significantly better than the last place Kakuzu had stayed at since this town wasn't nearly as shitty. This place was actually full of colour and life, unlike the little mercenary village he had chosen before. Villages like that were always terrible and that attracted bad people. Those bad people only attract more, and so on. Birds of a feather, after all.

The lobby area was rather cozy. It had lots of warm-colored furnishings and a rather nice fireplace that people could huddle around and chat. They also had a little dining area that you could get a basic meal from, but Kakuzu was still a bit achy from his many adventures in drinking, so he didn't much care about food. He made his way to the front desk and the portly man behind it. He was a far cry from the last man they'd met.

The innkeeper regarded the two strange, armed, shinobi with a polite but nervous smile. “Are you gents checking in?” He asked in a thick accent, looking like he desperately wanted the answer to be no. When he received only a nod from Kakuzu, he continued. “One room or two?” Kakuzu held up one finger and the man nodded, somehow looking even more nervous. He had something to say and it was bad. “Right. Right... And umm... How many beds will you be needing...?” He asked, leaning in to whisper.

This question caused all three of them to fall as silent as the grave. The innkeeper worried for his life, Kakuzu’s blood pressure was rising so high that it's all he could hear, and Hidan... He was suddenly laughing. And laughing. Honestly, that was far too much laughter. He sounded like a drunk hyena who had made a bad pun that he was incredibly proud of.

“Yeah, Kuzu, how hard do you plan on railing me tonight? We might need a second bed in case the first breaks!” He barked and while Kakuzu was glad he was out of the fearful funk from earlier, he just honestly wished Hidan would shut up again. He knew his cheeks were flushed, but at least they were covered. It would be undignified if people actually saw him blushing.

“We’re not a couple.” He mumbled softly. ”Two will be fine.” He finished, trying not to make eye contact with anyone. Hidan had yelled that loud enough to catch the attention of the entire room and Kakuzu just wanted to melt into the floor. He paid and took the key as soon as it was offered. He roughly grabbed Hidan’s arm and dragged him off.

He hauled Hidan up the stairs and into their room, despite the complaints from the man. “If you can make such inappropriate comments I suppose you can answer my question. Why were you so reluctant to enter the forest?” He demanded, leaving no room for him to wiggle out of the question. Hidan seemed quite shocked, awkwardly clearing his throat.

“Kuzu...” He tried the little nickname again, it seemed to have worked earlier. It felt strange on his tongue, but he wanted to soften Kakuzu as much as he could and pet names were a start. “Do we really need to make a big deal out of this? I just don't like traveling at night. I prefer to sleep more.” Kakuzu studied him closely. He was twitchy and despite his attempts to sound sweet, he was avoiding eye contact. Something was very wrong.

“No. I like traveling at night. I'm used to the heat in my village. I learned to travel after the heat of the day had passed. If you have a genuine problem with traveling at night, I suggest you voice it right now or get used to it.” He spoke harshly to force Hidan to realize that he was serious. He hated beating around the bush.

Hidan sat on the bed and stared at the comforter rather than his partner. Was he really ready to reveal so much of himself to this almost stranger? But if he didn't, this was going to be rough. Kakuzu may even change his mind about handing him to the collection officer... In pieces, maybe. He took a deep, steadying breath. Jashin give him strength...

“I'm afraid of the dark.” He blurted out, but quickly continued, “I know what you're thinking. Yes, I know it's lame, but it's from when I was a kid. I lived so much in the dark that when I think about it... I just... I can't go back... I grew up in an orphanage that hated us... Me especially. I was born under some dumb blood mood and thus I MUST be evil. Those bastards never even gave me a chance...” He took a shaky breath. He hated reliving the past.

“Any time I acted out, they punished me with lashings and locked me in this dark room. It was completely empty and the darkest place I've ever seen. There wasn’t even any light from the crack under the door... It was suffocating... I felt so alone and scared... It was so much better when they would just beat me until I blacked out. I least then I could sleep in my own bed. Every time it just felt so much darker... Like inky black claws were dragging me down...” Hidan started shaking. It was slow at first, then dramatic. He was transitioning into a state of panic.

Kakuzu had no idea how to help him. He was never good with normal emotions, let alone heightened ones. He slowly sat on the bed and while he did hesitate at first, he soon awkwardly placed his hand on Hidan’s back. “That's enough. You don't have to say anything more. I understand.” He said, and truly meant it. He understood his pain quite well, unfortunately.

Both were silent for what felt like ages. They were processing what was happening between them. Hidan could feel the warm, strong hand on his back and that somehow grounded him back into this moment. He felt shame for explaining his fear but Kakuzu had said he understood. Could he really?

The quiet of the room was stifling.

“We’ll have to get up at first light to make up for the time we’re losing. I don't expect to get any complaints. Remember, I told you to leave several times already.” Kakuzu said sternly, but there was an edge to it. He sounded softer, kinder. Hidan didn't know what to say in response, so instead, he just nodded silently.

Kakuzu made his way to the other side of the room and crashed down upon the mattress, which let out a disdainful groaning. He was far too heavy. “There is dried meat and vegetables in my bag if you're hungry. I'm not going to bother going downstairs for a meal.” He mumbled, not thinking he could ever face those people again.

Kakuzu turned the light off. If they were going to get up at first light he might as well get a start on sleeping. He was trying to take off his shoes and other uncomfortable articles when he heard it. It was so soft that he could have missed it over the sound of rustling fabric.

“Goodnight, Kakuzu.” Hidan whispered.

Kakuzu stayed silent, but he couldn't help but play Hidan’s words over in his mind. He’d sounded so vulnerable. Kakuzu was sure that he should have done or said something, he just had no idea what. What could be said in the face of this? He had opened up on something deeply personal and impactful. How was Kakuzu supposed to respond? Just pat him on the back and say “that's rough, buddy?”

Kakuzu groaned and twisted himself up in the sheets. This was going to be a long night.

_____________________________________

The next morning brought with it a fresh chance. Nothing was said about the night before and they were both quietly thankful for such. Neither wanted to address the situation, so they went with the tried and true method of denial. 

The market was far more vibrant in the daylight. The colors, as well as the people, were practically glowing in the light. This was the most idyllic village Kakuzu had ever been in. He could hear the giggling of playing children, the chatter of vendors trying to sell Hidan items, and he could smell the aromatic herbs and spices wafting through the air.

The smell almost made him miss the marketplace in Takigakure. They always had a wide selection of spices drying in the sun. He remembered excitedly running through the market as a child, imagining all the food he could make and trying to match the smells with the correct spice. It was a simpler time. Despite being alone and having to scrape by on the kindness of a few others, he did remember those days fondly.

When he exited his little daydreaming session, he found himself staring down at a stand of fresh, delicious-looking vegetables. Takigakure was never known for its fresh vegetables, being far too hot for most, so he was always a bit mesmerized by the selection. So many interesting waterlogged vegetables to choose from.

Hidan on the other hand was distracted by a lovely tea vendor. Tea was one of the few good things his village had that he had grown to love. The older lady who ran the shop was explaining the variety of teas from far off places, as well as their properties. Or properteas, Hidan thought with a snicker.

He was drawn from his musings by a nudging on his shoulder. Assuming it was Kakuzu telling him he was taking too long, he didn't look back, just mumbling “Yeah?” absentmindedly. Instead of an answer, a single bean sprout was held over his shoulder and slightly into his eyeshot. The incredibly small vegetable was very unassuming and plain. Despite this, Hidan was practically hypnotized by the sight of it.

He slowly turned to face Kakuzu, careful not to jostle the sprout from his hand. Looking between Kakuzu and the sprout had him wracking his brain to figure out why the typically modest, frugal shinobi would be holding such a thing. Was it a dig at him for not eating enough vegetables? Was he asking him if he knew how to prepare such? Was it a gift? That's when it hit him.

He was giving him his version of a flower.

Their conversation came back to mind and the realization hit him like a freight train. Kakuzu was giving him the closest he ever would to a flower. Hidan’s fingers gently closed in around the sprout, taking it from Kakuzu’s still outstretched hand. He observed it silently, a smile spreading across his face. He wasn't sure how to respond. Nobody had ever done anything so sweet for him. But as the awkward silence spread out, he realized he had to break it.

“Aww... Are you buying me flowers, old man? I have half a brain to suck your dick right here.” Hidan winked and slapped Kakuzu’s ass. He wanted to snap them out of this strange staring game but immediately worried that he had pushed it too far as Kakuzu’s eyes widened to a comical state.

“Oh... That wasn't what you...? Umm... Sorry... I thought that with the talk we had about flowers, and you giving me this... I thought that... You know...” Hidan floundered under that gaze. He was terrified that he'd destroyed whatever fragile thing they had built. Kakuzu’s silence was also killing him, but he wouldn't have to wait for a response much longer.

Kakuzu pressed Hidan up against the wall in the alley between little market stalls. He let his hands run along the younger man’s body and shoved his knee between Hidan’s legs. Hidan rocked forward to grind against his thigh and let out a little moan in response. Things were heating up quickly and neither minded that heat at all. It had been a while, but Kakuzu figured he still knew how all of this worked and Hidan clearly wanted this.

The long hard line of Kakuzu’s dick pressed unrelenting and hot into Hidan’s thigh. Hidan’s motions grew more frantic, he wanted Kakuzu more than he’d wanted anything in a long time and he was determined to let Kakuzu know that. 

Kakuzu thrust so hard his hip bones ached from the force and Hidan’s head knocked back against the wall rhythmically. Kakuzu’s head went blessedly empty until he felt fingers gently slip under the fabric of his mask. A hot, prickly fear welled up inside Kakuzu. He wasn't ready for Hidan to see his scars. He knew the young man would be freaked out and disgusted by the mutilated state of his face. He just wasn't ready to see that look, so he pulled away from their embrace. 

“Kakuzu! What the hell!? Okay! You can keep the mask! Come on!” Hidan yelled after him, but Kakuzu was already gone. He wasn't ready for any of this and didn't honestly believe he ever would be. Love just wasn't in the cards for him.

_____________________________________

The next couple of days of their journey could only be described as stiflingly uncomfortable. Neither attempted many conversations and the silence was getting deafening. They had been checking into hotels at sundown and leaving by daybreak. Kakuzu had at least told Hidan that they were headed to the Land of Rice Paddies to meet up with an old friend of his, Sasori.

Other than this bit of conversation, the rest of the time had only been small comments about the bedding or food situation. It was painful. He almost missed Hidan’s constant chatter and wisecracks. Anything was better than silence, no matter how annoying.

Kakuzu knew that Hidan was upset. He knew why. He got him riled up and then abandoned him in an alleyway like trash. He wanted to explain himself, to make it better again, to get some of their pleasant sexual tension back, but he couldn't. To explain why he refused to take off the mask would open him up to vulnerability. He refused to ever make himself vulnerable again.

Hidan, on the other hand, thought he had done something horribly wrong. He wasn’t sure what, but he knew Kakuzu hated him now. That thought hurt for reasons he couldn't even begin to explain. He was used to rejection, his entire village cast him out for fuck’s sake, but this was different. Kakuzu was there, he wanted him, and then like a light he was disgusted. What the hell was so wrong with him that chased everybody away?

What was worse was that with Kakuzu, for the first time in his life, he wasn't afraid of the dark. Despite their fighting, and now this distance, he still felt as though Kakuzu would protect him. He knew the older shinobi was protective and even as they slept he felt safe. He was terrified of losing that. Of losing him.

He had to fix this.

Hidan reached out to put his hand on Kakuzu but retracted it just short of contact. He didn't know if Kakuzu would want to be touched by him. He cleared his throat. “Hey... Kakuzu... Things have been tense lately, so... I guess I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you so much back at the market.” His apology came out stunted and awkward. He wasn't used to having to apologize or actually having anyone left alive to apologize to. This was a learning curve for him.

Kakuzu paused in his tracks. Had he heard what he thought? A genuine, yet stunted, apology? For what? Was Hidan actually apologizing for being ditched?

“What are you apologizing for?” He asked, turning to fix him with a perplexed stare. 

Hidan groaned. So he was sticking with the denial route? Great. This was going to be a pain in the ass. “I'm sorry for slapping your ass and pushing you like that. Are you getting senile? Just take the Jashin damned apology and stop being so weird, you old fuck.” He crossed his arms. He always got aggressive when he felt vulnerable. This was just his defense mechanism.

Kakuzu’s brows furrowed. Why the hell was he picking a fight? Was he mad or sorry? “I remember what happened, I'm just not sure why-” He froze. There was an odd creaking coming from a nearby tree. He had been so focused on their relationship problem that he hadn't been paying attention to their surroundings.

“Why what, Kakuzu?” Hidan barked. Kakuzu slapped a hand over his mouth. Hidan was about to start a fuss, but Kakuzu held up his finger and gestured around them.

Within moments of being detected, a spattering of shinobi dropped from the trees around them. They were all of different ages and genders, but one thing unified them. Their headbands. They were all from Takigakure. His village had found him again.

Kakuzu knew for a fact that Sasori wouldn't send assassins after him, so they must have tracked him here. There were only around a baker’s dozen, so he knew they would be handled shortly. He readied to fight, but a hand landed on his shoulder. 

“Hey, after we murder these guys, you better finish that damn thought.” Hidan said “Also, I need at least one alive for a ritual. Don't go too crazy, asshole.” Despite the insult, Hidan grinned at him. Hidan was damn lucky he was so hot, or Kakuzu would have stabbed him right there.

The fight began just as Kakuzu had expected. The Shinobi gave it their all, but were soon outmatched by the far stronger pair. Kakuzu wished that he wasn't so busy killing them, because he could hear the massacre that was happening with Hidan and desperately wanted to watch. He knew it would be a thing of macabre beauty.

More and more shinobi kept pouring into the fight. When one fell, two replaced it. Kakuzu was slowly having to retreat a few steps back to avoid tripping over the corpses he left in his wake. Kakuzu only noticed that he had been separated from his partner when he could no longer hear Hidan’s manic laugh. This fight was only getting tougher. His opponents attacked him from every angle relentlessly. A few of them even managed a cut or two.

This was going rather poorly.

It didn't take long before Kakuzu was surrounded, very badly outnumbered, and he could tell by the sounds in the distance that Hidan was quite occupied as well. He would have to resort to using his masks on these targets. But that wouldn't be hard. This fight would be over quickly once they were unleashed.

He slowly released the four masks and sent them in different directions to attack his foes. There were at least seventy jōnin around him. Kakuzu didn't even know his village had recovered enough to produce this many high-level jōnin. But no matter their numbers, the masks would make quick work of them, and then he could help Hidan. The screams of the foolish shinobi who dared to challenge him were drowned out by the thought that this seemed too simple for the organized group. Had they truly come up against him without a proper plan to handle the S-class missing in other than overwhelming numbers?

A sharp pain stabbed through Kakuzu’s body and all his movements ceased. His muscles felt sluggish like they do in a dream when you're trying to run from a monster. Slow movements transitioned into a complete lack of movement. His body refused to acknowledge his commands at all. Fearing he was in a genjutsu, Kakuzu attempted to summon his masks back only to find them suck in the same situation as he was, unable to move at all.

Another stabbing jolt of pain pulled an anguished grunt from Kakuzu’s lips. He felt the mysterious power that resided over him slowly and painfully drag him and his masks to lay flat upon the ground. It was as though gravity had increased thousands of times and he was helpless to stop the crushing force.

Every time Kakuzu would attempt to struggle or fight back against whatever this was, it felt as though his muscles were being viciously torn from his bones. The pain was agonizing, but worse was the acidic fear that bubbled up his throat like bile. He refused to ever be captured again. He would die here if he must. Ninety-one years were rather impressive for such an active bounty hunting shinobi. They usually had a much shorter lifespan. He did regret dragging one as young as Hidan into this. He’d have to apologize for this in hell.

“How does it feel to finally squirm on the ground with creatures as low as you, scum?” A harsh voice rang out over the battlefield. Kakuzu had to strain to hear it above the pain, despite how loud it was. Pain was surprisingly loud.

Kakuzu knew the shinobi’s voice the moment he heard it. Hearing that voice again rocked him to the core. It was his old teammate from Takigakure, one of the only shinobi he had left alive, come back to haunt him. He remembered again why he should never take pity on those he once called friends. A brother, once upon a time.

Kakuzu strained until he was just barely able to look up at his assailant. The man before him had changed a great deal from their shared youth. His black hair greyed, youthful body hunched, and cocky grin wrinkled into a bitter frown. One thing that had never changed was the light in those eyes. Like a fire that refused to extinguish in the worst of storms.

Kakuzu remembered his friend with a spark of fondness, but it was clear that the sentiment was far from returned. They had served as teammates for many years and had come to call each other brothers, but all of that was destroyed in one fell swoop.

“Kitoh. You've changed quite a lot. Part of me had hoped we wouldn't meet again.” Kakuzu said plainly, despite the pain welling up in his chest. This man used to be his best friend and now he saw him as the monster who betrayed and slaughtered their village. That was a lot to swallow.

Kitoh knelt beside Kakuzu and pulled his mask from his face, earning a flinch. “You haven't. I see that the rumors about the Earth Grudge’s power were true. You cannot age.” He said thoughtfully. “But if that is true... I wonder if my information is true too? It was said that if you destroy all the hearts that the user possesses, they die too. Is this true, Kakuzu?”

The brief glint of shock and fear in those eyes was all it took for Kitoh to know his blow had struck true. Kakuzu was not infallible.

“You shouldn't have come here with such sparse company. Your little friend will have to die too.” The shinobi taunted. “My magnetic jutsu is strong enough to hold even you down. Now, all we need to do is pick off your hearts. Good thing too. I was running out of cannon fodder jonin to send at you.”

The ninja slowly, almost lethargically, wandered around the battlefield to stand by Kakuzu’s electric mask. “The night you destroyed our village I was gone on a mission. A B-class mission, to be specific. What a pathetic level of mission to spare me being slaughtered along with my father. I certainly didn't feel lucky when I found out.”

Kitoh viciously drove a pike through the heart of the electric mask, sending agonizing pain through Kakuzu’s entire body. It felt like he was being set on fire from the inside. Kakuzu had to bite down on his lip to keep any sound from escaping his treacherous throat. He would not give Kitoh the pleasure of hearing him wail.

The ninja slowly paced over to the next mask. He trailed his finger over the dark blue patches on the mask. “I came home to find the village I loved, the village we used to run around and play ninja in, half-destroyed and filled with the bodies of my comrades.” He drove the pike through the second heart, feeling the warmth of the blood splatter on his face. It filled him with a sort of deranged excitement.

Kakuzu’s body began to shake involuntarily and tears prickled at the corners of his eyes. This was the most pain he had felt in over half a century. Terror flooded his body as he felt it dying slowly. He tried to formulate a plan that would help him escape, but his frenzied mind ran in circles like hamsters in a wheel. He thought about his life, the people he'd loved, and the things he still wanted to do but hadn't found the time.

Of course, none of these thoughts actually helped him right now, but his mind refused to stop showing him this myriad of memories. His perception was so flooded, that the stabbing of the next heart came as a complete surprise to him.

A pitiful sounding whine emerged from his lips of its own accord. His body had betrayed him and broken down completely under the unavoidable death that was coming his way.

His assailant came back into view as he knelt in front of the fire mask, his last mask. They made eye contact and all Kakuzu could see was anger in those fiery eyes. With all his pride thrown to the wayside, Kakuzu managed to harness what tiny control over himself he still had to speak.

“Kit... Please... Don't do this... Please!” Kakuzu said, his voice small, like a scared child asking a stranger for help. He felt small.

Kakuzu’s gentle pleading only served as fuel to the fire inside of Kitoh. “Did you listen when they begged!? Did you have mercy on them!? You killed my father, Kakuzu! You slaughtered him and ripped out his heart so you could shove it inside of one of these abominations! You are a monster and a curse upon this world!

“Everywhere you go, you leave a trail of pain and death. You're like the grim reaper. You're a shame to Takigakure! I will cleanse our village of this shame and avenge my father by killing you! You are a monster!” Kitoh shouted at him, venomously. He took no more pause before swiftly killing his fourth heart.

Kakuzu’s last heart convulsed painfully against his ribcage. It threatened to give out from the pain and fear alone. Kakuzu knew that this was it. He would die here in the middle of the woods with his face already pressed into the dirt. He wouldn't even get the dignity of dying in battle. He was going to die pathetically at the hands of his childhood best friend.

He saw Kitoh’s feet stop in front of him. He could see the drops of his own blood attempting to coagulate on the ninja’s shoes. It was a sobering feeling, but it was also numbing. He felt the world spin as he was flipped onto his back to make the killing blow easier. At least he could see the sky once more before his death.

Kakuzu couldn't hear anything except the ringing in his ears. He knew Kitoh must have been giving some kind of victor’s speech, but he couldn't hear anything. He felt the warm sun on his face as well as the cool breeze that blew across his skin. At least he chose a scenic place to die. He saw Kitoh raise the killing pike and simply closed his eyes to await the blow.

After what felt like ages, he wondered what could be taking so damn long. Did he have a cramp? This wasn't the kind of service he had come to expect from Revenge Murders R US. That's when he felt it. Warm blood spilled across his stomach and chest.

Kakuzu’s eyes snapped opened to find Hidan above him, the weapon harpooned through his own chest rather than Kakuzu’s. It was mesmerizing to see the way Hidan’s blood trickled down from the wound.

“How dare you interrupt my revenge you cur! You have no right, filthy beast!” Kitoh raged, trying to dislodge his javelin from Hidan’s chest. Hidan grabbed tightly onto the weapon keeping it in place. 

Hidan slowly grinned, blood streaming from his open mouth. “Yeah, you'd be surprised, but I actually get that a lot.” Hidan started to laugh, slow at first but then frenzied and filled with mirth. He laughed and laughed and laughed, then he took a kunai and slashed Kitoh’s throat open. He kept laughing as the Shinobi stumbled back, grasping at the blood spilling from his throat.

Kakuzu was finally released as Kitoh stumbled off into the woods to bleed out, jutsu broken. He sat up just in time to catch Hidan in his arms as he sank to the ground. He was in a state of shock as he looked over the giggling man. Nobody had ever deliberately sacrificed their life for him, and he especially didn't expect it from Hidan. 

As he stared at Hidan, he noticed the preserved bean sprout still proudly placed behind his ear. Kakuzu regretted not kissing him. He regretted leaving him that day in the marketplace. He should have stayed and gone with his heart rather than his fear. Hidan was brave and beautiful and yes, rather annoying, but that was part of his charm. He was stirred out of his thoughts by Hidan’s cough and rasping voice.

“Hey... Hey, Kuzu... Your buddy destroyed my necklace when he stabbed me. Do you think he’ll pay for a new one? Not very nice to destroy somebody’s jewelry.” Hidan clicked his tongue in mock disapproval. “I...” Another cough, “Have half a mind to write a strongly worded letter to his mother about what a bad boy he's been.”

Kakuzu found himself smiling despite the situation. Hidan truly had a way of making any moment amusing, even his death. “Well, judging by the fact that he's in his nineties, I think you'll have to leave the letter on her grave. I'm sure she’ll berate him when he reaches the afterlife.

“Besides, I can buy you a new one. It's the least I can do after you took that shot for me.” Kakuzu smiled softly down at the surprised face of the man he cradled in his arms. The tears prickled again in his eyes. But these were different from the ones he had earlier. These were for a friend, and a possible lover, that he was losing right before his eyes. These were tears of sorrow for what could have been.

Hidan’s eyes widened as he saw the tears. “Oh Kuzu... The necklace won't be that expensive... Don't cry.” He reached up and pet the tears away from Kakuzu’s cheeks.

“I'm not upset about the cost of a replacement, you idiot!” He laughed and then continued, “You're dying. And I never even got to kiss you or tell you how beautiful you are.”

“Kuzu... Don't cry. Jashin will give me life again! I'll be reborn!” Hidan kept petting his face, appreciating that he could finally touch it without the mask. “But... Umm... I'm not dead yet. I don't see why I couldn't have that kiss now. Do you?” 

Kakuzu smiled again, but the idea of Hidan being reborn at another time as a new person brought him little comfort. He leaned down and gently pressed their lips together. Hidan tasted awfully of his own coppery blood, but Kakuzu didn't let that stop him. He cradled his face and tried to kiss all of his budding love and thankfulness into Hidan. He wanted him to know everything, but he was never good with words.

Words had always failed Kakuzu precisely when he needed them the most. He wanted to thank Hidan and tell him that he wasn't worth his sacrifice. He wanted to apologize for pulling away from him at the market and apologize for building walls so high that even he didn't know how to break them back down. Most of all, he wanted to tell him how much the last few days had meant to him. He wanted to tell him that this was the first time in so many years that he truly felt alive and wanted to live.

But words failed him once again.

Instead, he kissed him and he hoped everything he felt would come through at this moment. This last moment together.

Hidan’s strength waned and his kiss weakened. Kakuzu instead leaned their foreheads together so he could feel Hidan’s breathing as it faded. He wanted to feel his lifeforce as long as he could. 

Kakuzu’s tears hit Hidan’s face as he felt the man he had come to care for so much fade beneath him. That light snuffed out like a candle. He was still so young. It wasn't fair.

Kakuzu muttered apologies as he slowly pulled the pike from Hidan’s body and let it fall off to the side. He had no idea how Jashinists did funerals, but he planned to bury him as respectfully as possible. Or maybe he would incase him in stone in accordance with Takigakure tradition.

He couldn't bring himself to move Hidan from his lap. He looked so peaceful. He didn't want to simply dump him on the ground while he prepared the funeral either. But what was his other option? Strap him to his back like a baby carrier? No. That was ridiculous.

While he considered the most respectful ways to sling about Hidan’s corpse, he managed to miss the fact that the corpse was, in fact, breathing. And blinking. These were two things corpses really ought not to do. But here he was, doing them. In fact, Kakuzu continued not to notice these very un-corpse-like movements until Hidan reached out and actually touched his face again.

Kakuzu wasn't proud of the undignified squeak that came from him and if he was asked about it he would fully deny it. But he couldn't deny the extremely lively giggles erupting from his not-so-corpse-y friend.

He also wasn't proud of the high-pitched nature of his voice when he roughly screeched out “HOW!?” down at Hidan.

“I told you Jashin would revive me, silly. What'd you think I meant by that? Geez. You look like you've seen a ghost.” Hidan spoke with a cheery lilt and smiled up at Kakuzu as though he hadn't spent the last few minutes quite dead in the most literal sense possible.

Kakuzu was caught in the whirlwind of emotions in his heart. Primarily, confusion, relief, happiness, and a small amount of anger at Hidan for not explaining this better earlier. That would have saved him from quite a bit of sorrow and existential crisis.

“You had me thinking that you were dead.” He said.

“Damn, Kuzu... If I'm gonna get a kiss like that every time I die, remind me to die around you more.” Hidan winked flirtatiously, only to get rolled forcefully out of Kakuzu’s lap. “YOU BASTARD!” He growled.

When Hidan scrambled up to his knees and readied another screaming fit, he was quickly silenced by a kiss from Kakuzu. It was more excited and energetic than last time. They were both alive and that meant this relationship had a chance. Kakuzu still had a chance...

Kakuzu was genuinely quite shocked when Hidan reached out and cupped his cock. He was shocked enough to pull away from their kiss to stare at him. He was under the assumption that they were having a rather soft and romantic moment, but Hidan appeared to want it far lewder. The lustful look in those eyes was enough to confirm he was quite serious.

“Let's finish what we started in that market. Fuck me properly.” Hidan purred, eyes half-lidded in arousal.

Their lips slammed back together and only parted long enough to rip what remained of their clothes off, then they were all over each other. Teeth, tongues, hands, and claws explored each other’s bodies as enthusiastically as possible.

Kakuzu pushed him onto his back and pinned him to the ground, his arm like an iron bar over Hidan’s chest. Despite the rough treatment, he kept his weight off him as much as possible, knowing he was extremely heavy. He wanted to shag him, not break all of his bones at once.

He sent his wires down to Hidan’s well-crafted ass. As questionable as he knew it was, he used the blood Hidan had lost as lubrication to press the wires into him. Hidan let out a little gasp at the feeling of being penetrated by the cold metal wires.

Kakuzu kissed and nibbled at the flesh of Hidan’s neck as the wires explored and carefully stretched out his insides. When Hidan threw his head back and let out an inaudible cry, Kakuzu knew he had found his target. He delegated half of his wires to remain on Hidan’s prostate as the other half continued to stretch his entrance out.

Kakuzu loved the way Hidan writhed and scratched at the arm that was holding him down. Despite the blood, dirt, and leaves that coated him, Hidan was still the most beautiful man Kakuzu had ever seen. He was so distracted that he forgot to relieve the intense pressure on Hidan’s prostate, causing the young man to get overwhelmed quite quickly.

Kakuzu snapped out of it and finally let off the pressure when he felt the hot cum up against his skin. He grasped Hidan’s cock and pumped it through the aftershock slowly. He felt a bit sorry, but he also loved the way the young man shook with the tremors of pleasure he had created. 

“Fuck... Just stick it in me already Kakuzu! Fucking hell...” Hidan panted.

Kakuzu chuckled. “Kids these days. Always in a rush to get everything they want. Back in my days, we had something called Delayed Satisfaction.” He teased gently, receiving only a bite in response.

Kakuzu balled up his wires and slowly pulled them out one by one, causing quite a heightened sensation. Once they were all out, Kakuzu gave him a few more kisses.

“You have to say if you need me to stop, for any reason,” He said, seriously. “I don't want to end up ripping out open.” 

“You’re pretty bad at rough sex, Kuzu.” Hidan said, breathless. Kakuzu chose not to respond and instead reached down and positioned himself at Hidan’s entrance, just nudging inside carefully. He paused and waited for him to adjust.

Hidan’s head slammed back and he grabbed fistfuls of dirt and dead leaves, needing something to squeeze to vent the feeling of Kakuzu’s cock. It hurt, a burning sensation he didn’t have any reference for, uncomfortable and alien and new. Kakuzu certainly provided quite a sizable member.

While it did hurt a bit, he'd been hurt worse before. “Fucking give it to me, you prick!” Hidan hissed, digging his heels into Kakuzu’s back.

“Shut up...” Kakuzu said through gritted teeth, sliding into Hidan, slow and thorough, inch after inch, filling him.

“Make me.” Hidan growled, digging his nails into Kakuzu again, enough to draw blood. Kakuzu’s eyes narrowed and he shoved inside for the last inch, forcing a cry from Hidan. Kakuzu smirked.

Kakuzu rocked his hips, angling the direction he had found his prostate in earlier. He let his head drop into Hidan’s neck, panting softly. “Damn... You feel so good, baby. You're doing so well.” 

Hidan wasn’t sure if his body had finally adjusted to the massive cock or if Kakuzu’s words were the cause, but he shifted with a new kernel of sensation, definitely not bad or weird. Rather good actually.

Hidan braced his hand against a tree when Kakuzu’s thrusts deepened, sending him sliding around the forest floor. The sensation of the twigs and rocks scratching up his back was completely forgotten when Kakuzu brushed up against a spot inside him that sent a shock through his whole body. It was so much better now with a whole cock hitting it.

“You can – more, you can,” Hidan said, close to begging. He arched his back, trying to take Kakuzu deeper, wanting something he didn’t know how to ask for. His cock was starting to leak, dribbling on his chest. When his pace didn't change at all, Hidan growled.

“Fuck me,” He said, digging his nails hard into the back of Kakuzu’s neck. “Make me take it. Fuck me like you mean it already!”

Kakuzu briefly covered Hidan’s mouth, then pulled out. Hidan started to sit up, indignant but was quickly silenced when Kakuzu manhandled him over. One moment he was on his back, looking up at Kakuzu, and the next moment the world had flipped on him, and his face was mashed in the dirt, shoulders held down by the broad hand pressed between them.

Hidan moaned loudly, only cut off when Kakuzu pressed into him again, rougher this time, rendering him speechless. All of those toned muscles were working to plow into him at high speeds.

“Please, please,” Hidan said as Kakuzu fucked him at a dizzying pace. Hidan lost track of reality for a while there. Abstractly, he knew he could feel Kakuzu’s weight pressed over his back, knew he could feel his fingers dug into his hips, keeping him in place while Kakuzu pounded into him with the barely contained strength of a proper shinobi. He knew that he was making, rough, breathless little sounds that were forced from him in the rhythm that Kakuzu set, like a strange song. But he could barely think or move. All he could do was submit to it, let Kakuzu pleasure him and wreck him in any way he wanted.

Kakuzu loved all the little noises pouring out of Hidan. He tried various angles to find out which gave the greatest moans. He could hear the crunching of leaves beneath them and feel the tightening of Hidan making a white mess into those leaves again. But Kakuzu didn't miss a beat. He jammed his knees between Hidan’s and spread them apart, giving him the leverage he needed to slam into him at just the perfect angle. He grabbed Hidan’s arm, bending it behind his back and pinning it down at the base of his spine.

He found his new rhythm and just kept on pounding. He didn't give Hidan a single moment of rest after his orgasm, just causing cries of hypersensitivity. 

“Kuzu, I’m so – so – Please!” Hidan stammered, losing touch with language from the absolute oblivion that was Kakuzu’s cock inside him, taking him over, owning his tongue and the strength in his spine and the grip of his hands.

His cock was aching, taking all of Kakuzu’s attention with it, centered on that single point of need. He panted, harsh and needy, every thrust bringing him tantalizingly closer but never quite near enough. He began dragging Hidan’s ass back to meet his hips forcibly, creating a lewd slapping sound that rang out in chorus with their harsh breaths.

Then, without warning, Kakuzu was there, he mumbled out something wordless as he came, all that overwhelming sensation crystallizing and combusting all at once.  
Kakuzu sank his teeth into Hidan’s shoulder and bit down, grinding gracelessly into him as he ground into him through his own orgasm, pulling yet another from Hidan, adding to the horrid mess on the forest floor.

They just sat still, panting for what felt like ages. Both of heir bodies were spent from the entire ordeal that was this shitshow of a day. Then, finally, Kakuzu pulled out. His muscles felt jittery and weak, face kind of numb, everything tingly. That had been the most mind-blowing sex of his entire life.

They both sank to the ground and simply made eye contact with one another as their worlds melded back together and started to make sense again. Hidan was so beautiful freshly fucked. Kakuzu felt like he could simply stare at him for ages.

Hidan reached out and ran his fingers surprisingly gently over Kakuzu’s cheek and the scars he found there. Kakuzu flinched away and caught the offending wrist, earning him a pouty whine from Hidan. “Don't.” Kakuzu muttered simply.

“Why not? After everything we’ve done... I've already seen and touched most of you. Why are only some of your scars off-limits?” Hidan asked with a visible pout. If Kakuzu’s mind hadn't just been propelled directly into turmoil he might have noted how cute it was. But his mind was rather occupied with the darkness that resides in the nooks.

“They... They're not from fun experiences or good battles. They still hurt...” Kakuzu evaded his gaze, instead looking just past Hidan’s head. He didn't want to ruin this hazy enjoyable feeling they enjoyed with the darkness behind his skin, but that hope was shattered by the look Hidan was giving him and his next words.

“Kuzu... You hide so much... You can trust me. You're not going to scare me off, I promise. Please just... Trust me.” Hidan urged as gently as he could. He didn't want to scare Kakuzu back into his shell but he desperately wanted to know more about this reluctant man. He wanted to see all the things he hid.

Kakuzu was reluctant. That much was obvious from how every muscle in his body tensed in response to the gentle prompt. He took time to debate if he, and Hidan, were ready for this story. Could they handle it at this point in their relationship? Was he ready to dredge up such painful memories to someone he had only just started a relationship with? Was this relationship strong enough to survive this?

Only one way to find out.

“I was one of the strongest shinobi in Takigakure, the village Hidden in Waterfalls. I had trained to be the best shinobi possible my entire life and was extremely loyal to them. I fulfilled every mission without fail. My reputation was known from land to land. I was respected and admired by the elders and citizens of my village.

“But as time progressed, tensions with Konoha grew worse. A war was predicted and a countermeasure proposed by the elders. A skilled squad could go to the enemy village and kill their Hokage. This would throw the village into turmoil long enough for us to prepare for the fight.

“Three other highly skilled jōnin and I were selected to go. I was the leader of this squad, but we worked together and each proposed paths to decide on as a team. We worked together flawlessly, which was unheard of for me. During the travel between places, we grew quite close. We had all left something behind to take on this mission.

Kakuzu took a long, steadying breath. He needed to be strong if he was going to tell this whole story.

“At that time... I had a wife. We were friends and then just... More. We had been married a little over a year when this happened. It was going to be my last S rank mission before staying home more to raise our child. She was six months pregnant with my daughter.” His voice wavered, but he pushed through the pain.

“When we engaged the Hokage we realized quickly that even we, the strongest Takigakure had to offer, were no match for this man. He took us down one at a time. His wood-style Jutsu made prisons and punji pits out of the very ground we stood on. By the time we realized this was suicide, it was already too late. They were all dead.

“I made a run for it, but he caught me in a wooden cage. I was fully ready for death when he stopped. Rather than kill me, he noted I had begun a retreat and asked why. My teammates had fought to the end. I told him that my duty to my village was not stronger than my duty to my unborn daughter. That she would come before my honor.

“Much to my surprise, he let me go. I carried his message home to my village. He said that this was the start of a war between our villages and to prepare ourselves. I counted myself immensely lucky and planned to transport my family far from this fight. But when I went home, I did not receive the reaction I expected from the elders.

“I expected the shame, anger, and to be stripped of my titles and respect. I had abandoned my team and the mission to save my own life. There is no greater disgrace for a ninja. But as I gave them the Hokage’s message, they responded completely differently.

“They publicly claimed that the attack was orchestrated by a band of rogue ninja, and now that they had captured me I would be punished to the full extent of the law. I'm not sure how the Hokage responded, but as I was thrown in jail I found that no war came to the village. I suppose he must have believed them in the end or decided it was a good enough excuse to avoid a war.

“The elders decided to make an example of me to the other ninja. They tortured me with every method available to them short of killing me. Even slitting my face into this smile. Much of it was performed in the open in front of a jeering crowd, eager to view such an atrocity. I still remember their hideous faces, twisted into disgust and delight at the tearing of my flesh.

“I fought to avoid wailing as often as possible. I didn't want to give them the enjoyment of watching me suffer. But even though I stayed as strong as I could, my wife couldn't let this continue. She was determined to prove to the village that the elders had lied, that I was only guilty of being loyal.

“I had told her everything about this mission. She had all the documentation and orders given to me, as well as copies of the letters I had written. She intended to reveal this to the village and expose the elders for what they had done. But before she had the chance to reveal the truth, the elders had her captured as my co-conspirator.

“When I heard that she had been captured, it was the boost of strength I needed to break free from my constraints. I fought my way out of their prison and ran to find her... But... They hadn't captured her... They... Killed her on the spot...” Kakuzu took a slow, shaky breath. He ran his fingers through his hair in a desperate attempt to calm himself enough to continue the story.

After a moment of silence, he continued. “I found her body beneath the wisteria tree we were married under. I guess she had gone there to prepare and they found her... They... Cut the child from her stomach to ensure no part of me would live on...” He squeezed his eyes shut to stop the tears and chase away the images plaguing his mind.

“After I buried them, I went back into the village for vengeance. I took the forbidden jutsu, the Earth Grudge Fear, and used it to kill everyone who had been involved. When I killed the elders responsible, I took their hearts and used them to fuel the Jutsu. That's where the masks on my back came from.

“When all was said and done, I had destroyed quite a chunk of the village and found that they had destroyed my old home and everything we had once owned. I found that I had nothing to my name but the tattered clothes on my back and my broken mind.

“I fled as far as I could with nothing. I eventually crashed in and lived on the streets of the Hidden Rain Village. I lived among the beggars, whores, and other gutter trash like myself who washed up there. I didn't look for work and I refused to beg, so I just slowly wasted away in my personal corner of hell.

“I didn't have the strength needed to pull myself up off the ground and find a new life for the longest time. To be honest, I don't actually remember what happened to pull me from my state of decay. I just remember finding myself working and moving again against my own will.

“I picked up work as a bounty hunter and things just built from there. My name became known farther and farther from Takigakure and I made it into many bingo books. But I was no longer fighting for anybody except myself. The work was not to protect, but instead, a selfish desire to hoard and avoid ever living as gutter trash ever again. Every coin I earn feels like spitting in the faces of the elders who tried to break me. Defiantly coming back from the darkness.

“That's it. That's all there is to my pathetic life story. Just a sad tale of a fool who trusted in the wicked men who are inherently evil and corrupted by the power we so foolishly give them. I paid the price dearly and learned to never trust such a corrupt system again.”

As his story came to an end, Kakuzu felt himself growing defensive and uneasy with all he had shared. He had laid bare his heart and now feared the consequences of opening up so freely. Could he honestly trust Hidan with such sensitive information, or was this all going to blow up in his face when Hidan judged him weak? 

Despite the apprehension in his heart, Kakuzu chanced a glance at Hidan’s face. He expected annoyance at the long story or disgust at his emotional weakness, he was ready to lash out and defend himself. He knew enough about religion to know Jashin frowned upon weakness and kindness. But when he looked to Hidan, he found something unexpected.

Compassion.

Hidan looked at him with a distraught look and misty eyes. He had been completely captivated by the story and found himself barely holding back his emotions after the conclusion. He had always just assumed Kakuzu was a greedy, cheap bastard by nature. He could never have guessed such horrid events lead to the man’s frugal nature. 

Hidan was stunned to silence for what felt like ages, just staring into Kakuzu’s eyes and hoping that conveyed the raw emotion that he couldn't put into words effectively. He wanted to wail and shout and curse the filthy heathens who dared to break such a strong man, but instead, he could only stare and wish he could take it all back. He wished he could take all the pain from Kakuzu so that the man could finally know some peace, but wishes don't come true.

Instead, Hidan snuggled in closer and slowly stroked the scars adorning his cheeks once more, but the time with a look of reverence. “You’re truly the strongest man I've ever met... Most would have lost the will to live if it meant carrying on through that. You truly are amazing, Kuzu. And... I don't know if this is any consolation, but, I think you're incredibly handsome. Scars and all.” He whispered.

It felt as if the weight of the universe had been lifted from Kakuzu with the words Hidan whispered. He never expected to tell anyone that story, let alone have them respond positively. He stroked his fingers through Hidan’s hair as he contemplated the kindness radiating off of this strange man.

He found himself remembering their first meeting and how much he just wanted Hidan to leave him the hell alone. He realized how close he had come to completely avoiding this connection and the positive impact this man was having in his life.

Kakuzu leaned in, hovering his lips an inch from Hidan’s. “That means more than I can ever describe or you can ever know.” He connected their lips in another kiss. Rather than the passionate and feverish kisses of earlier, this one was soft and filled with the unspoken emotion neither of them knew how to address. A gentle massage of lips sliding together in the darkness and fingers lacing together to hold each other softly.  
_____________________________________

Weeks had passed since the showdown with Kitoh. Things were strange and new at first but had slowly relaxed into a rhythm both of them could understand and respect. Each day they found themselves opening up a bit more. In fact, Kakuzu had started taking his mask off when they were alone without Hidan pestering him. He also quit drinking. The recovery had been difficult, but he made it through withdrawal eventually.

Hidan on the other hand had started to face his past and his fears. His constant nightmares and fear of the dark had eased up. He knew that as long as he could feel Kakuzu holding him or hear his voice, he was safe. He never needed to fear being thrown to the clawing hands again.

While they were already spending every day traveling together, Kakuzu insisted that time didn't count towards actual dates. So they resolved to stop into little tea shops and touristy areas while they traveled about. Kakuzu was still bitter about spending money, so Hidan paid for it with his half of the money from bounty hunts he helped on. He never cared much about money anyway.

They also spent many of their nights simply talking. They spoke a lot about their histories and future plans. Kakuzu was surprised to find that they had started making plans for a future where they stayed together, immortally. The whole relationship was going surprisingly well. That's why when Kakuzu suggested that they go to the market, Hidan didn't expect to find himself wandering alone hunting for his partner in the bustling streets. 

It wasn't a particularly busy day, so where could he have possibly slipped off to? Was he lost? Or did he just not notice they had been separated? Jashin forsake him if he was doing this on purpose. Hidan imagined Kakuzu scuttling around and ducking behind stalls like a bad spy movie. The image would have been funnier if he wasn't irritated. 

Hidan started his search by looking in the more practical stalls. Weapons, provisions, and places Kakuzu would be willing to shop in. The curmudgeon found most places to be a complete waste of money and time, which was, coincidentally, money. But he didn't find him in them, so he widened his search radius.

The simple little village was all decorated for their spring festival, including a lot more little stalls with bits of memorabilia for the season. They were decorated with bright shades of green, blue, and pink that symbolized the coming of spring blossoms and new life. Hidan was always more interested in the darker months, but even he had to admit the fresh splash of color was lovely. It would have been far more enjoyable if he wasn't playing hide and seek with his grown-ass boyfriend.

He forced a slight smile towards the passing vendors he knew. They had spent a week in this village and become quite known for their unique shopping habits and lusty bickering. They weren't seriously fighting, but they loved the thrill of a good argument and the shopkeepers had clearly realized as much.

As he searched through the bustling marketplace he found himself drawn into the fresh produce stalls with their bounty aplenty from local farmers. He loathed vegetables, but couldn't resist the smile that crept up when he saw the bean sprouts they had for sale. Maybe he should get a whole bundle for Kakuzu, as a gift.

As he stood there, considering his purchase, he felt a hand come up and cover his mouth. Somebody had grabbed him from behind and pulled him flush up against their body. ‘Big mistake, asshole!’ Hidan thought and grabbed a hidden blade. Just as he was about to viciously stab his assailant, he heard a familiar voice whisper in his ear.

“Boo.” He cooed into Hidan’s ear. He gave him a soft nip before releasing Hidan’s mouth.

Red with anger, and embarrassment, Hidan whipped around ready for a row. “Kuzu! Don't do that! I was gonna stab ya!” He whined irritably. Kakuzu couldn't help but love that tone, loud as it was. “Where the fuck have you been anyway? I've been looking everywhere for your dumb ass.”

Kakuzu grinned at him fondly, though Hidan had to read it from his eyes since his mask was back in place. “A little stabbing wouldn't be so bad.” He teased and then continued before Hidan could get too riled up. “I went to buy something that I thought you could use. But I didn't want to hear you bitch about the shop. It has a lot of old religious symbols.”

“You fuckin ditched me!? You assh-” Hidan’s angry rant was cut off by Kakuzu covering his mouth again and then quickly turning him around so he was faced away. Only a muffled response came before the reason was revealed. Kakuzu held a beautiful necklace up in front of him. It was silver and shaped into the sigil of Jashin. Not only that but in the center sat the reddest bloodstone Hidan had ever seen. It was stunning. While gluttony may be a sin, it didn't count if it was a gift! Right?

“You needed one after your last was destroyed. I know someone who collects and sells this sort of stuff. Figured it would be a fine way to repay you for saving me.” Kakuzu fastened the clasp behind his neck and let the oddly warm stone and cool metal rest on Hidan’s chest. He could feel the energy coming off of it immediately.

Hidan was completely speechless. After growing up a starving orphan with a knife and being loathed by his own village simply for existence, which he didn't even choose to do, he had gotten used to the lack of affection from the people around him. Not only the lack of affection but the blatant abuse and vitriol that would come from children and adults alike.

But Kakuzu was different. Sure, he was still a grumpy old man who valued his money far too much. He was still bitter, and sharp, and he still lashed out in hurtful ways, but he never wanted Hidan to suffer for his existence. He protected him and in times, such as this, could be so genuinely sweet and open with his damaged emotions.

Hidan had watched him open up more and more over the last few weeks and each petal made him more beautiful than the last. So as he turned to look at that silly grinning man, feeling his tears pricking his eyes in a threat of escape, only one thing could be said to convey everything he was feeling. Rather than overthink everything and say something he didn't mean, he chose to open a new petal of himself.

“I love you.” He stated in the most sincere tone he had. “I love you, and I love this. I love what it symbolizes, and that you remembered something so trivial to you, but so important to me. I love you, Kuzu.”

Kakuzu was obviously caught off guard by this intense admission, but he would be lying if he said that he hadn't been thinking the same thing over the past few months. After a brief moment of shock, he simply pulled down his mask and kissed the man before him. 

“I love you too.” Kakuzu whispered against his lips.

They ignored the crowd passing near them and remained in each other’s embrace for what felt like ages. Simply reveling in the other’s company and enjoying the soft, sweet touches and silly giggles over nothing in particular. If this was what love felt like, Hidan figured he could stand it for the rest of his life.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading this far! I would love it if you could drop a comment below! Even one word brightens my whole day!
> 
> I know it was long, but I hope it was worth it! What was your favourite part? Was the main fight engaging? Did you like the past I made up? I’d love to know your opinion!


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